The Hans Christian Andersen Award #IBBYHCA, the
most prestigious in international children’s literature, has been awarded biennially
to authors since 1956 and to illustrators since 1966 by the International Board
on Books for Young People. It is given to an author and an illustrator whose
complete works are judged to have made lasting contributions to children's
literature. The Andersen medals and
diplomas will be presented to the winners at the 34th International
IBBY Congress in Mexico City, Wednesday, 10 September 2014.

Nahoko
Uehashi writes unique fantasy novels from the
viewpoint of cultural anthropology. She
believes one thing, that people from every
corner of the world have in common is a love for telling stories. Her stories about honour and duty, fate and sacrifice, are
refreshing as well as being authentically Japanese. Her fantasy worlds are loosely based on
medieval Japan, while at the same time are very much worlds of her own making. Not content to simply create a landscape of
geography and mythology, Uehashi includes allusions to the class system as well
as the interaction between spiritual and moral dimensions.

Uehashi conceives worlds in
which relationships exist among different planes: worlds seen as a network within
the universe rather than merely as a space.
She has an extraordinary ability to create different fantasy worlds and
her work has tenderness and a great respect for nature and all sapient
creatures.

Roger
Mello’s illustrations provide avenues to
explore the history and culture of Brazil.
He does not underestimate a child’s ability to recognize and decode
cultural phenomena and images. His illustrations allow children to be guided
through stories by their imagination.
Travel and discovery are important aspects of Mello’s artistic expression
and the rich content of his illustrations reflect his passion for folklore and
for exploration of the world. Through
his incredibly colourful and thrilling illustrated stories children gain deeper
understanding both of their own culture and that of others around the
world. He invites them to immerse
themselves in different ways of life, thus establishing a respectful,
appreciative understanding of other cultures.
He shares his interests in Brazil and in international culture and
ritual with his readers, taking them on a journey through time and space. His illustrations are innovative and
inclusive, and they incorporate images that promote tolerance and respect for the
world’s cultures and traditions.

Mello was selected from 30 illustrators nominated
for the Award. The five finalists were François Place (France), Rotraut Susanne Berner (Germany), Øyvind Torseter (Norway), Eva
Lindström (Sweden), and John Burningham (UK).